Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



'June- 12, 1928.

I H. A. THOMPSON RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPAhAlUS Filed Aug. 11, 1926 INVENTOR'.

H-QXT W ZZZ-W Patented June 12, 1928.

i U NIT E STATES;-

n'owa'nn 'rnomrsoiir ormienwoon BOROUGH; PENNSYLVALfiA, .assienon r0; 'rnn' UNION swrrcn &' SIGNAL COMPANY,

PORATIO'N or PENNSYLVANIIA.

PATENT orrrcs.

or swIssvALn; PENNSYLVANIMA con,

RAILWAY--TBAFFIC-CONTROLLING APIPARA'IUS.

Application, filed August 11, 1926. Scri'af in. 128,593.

My invention relates to railway trafii e controlling; apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type wherein governing mechanism on a train is controlled hy energy received from the track'way. More particularly the present invention relates to the trackvvay portion of such apparatus. One feature of my invention is the provision of means for supplying, train governing; or

cab-signaling current and track circuit current to a block which is divided into tWosections for highway crossing signal purposes,

I will describe one form of ap aratu's embodying my invention, and Will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The, accompanying drawing-l is a diagran'imatic view showing: one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and 1 designate the track rails of a railway track along. which" traffic normally mOVS in the direction indicated by the arroyv. These rails are divided by in? sulated joints 2 to form a block and this hloc'li' is further divided by" sijrhilar' jointsQ into" a rear track section 'CD and a forwarcltrack section DE. Located adjacent the point D is a highway crossing signal H,-Wh'ich maybe" of any suitable form and? which, as hereshown, is an electric hell.

The forward track" section DE" is provided With a track circuit comprising a transformer T and a track relay R The secondary 20 of transformer T 'is'constantly connected across the rails at the exit end of the section, a limiting reactanc'e 44 bein interposed loetvveen the secondaryand' one track rail in the usual manner. mar'y 19 of transformer T is constantly supplied with alternating current of one relative polarity or the other accordingfas the track relay R for the section next in advance is energizedor de-energlzed. WVhen relay R is energized, the clr'cintis from one terminal A of a source'of alternating cur The priand l, the former of which is connected across the rails adjacent the entranceendj of section DE. Winding-4: is supplied With alternating current from .the same source as that, from which primary 19' of transformer T is supplied. That is to'say,

the wires-11 and-12 leading: towindin'g. 45ers connected respectively with Wires 7 and 8; so that windin'g' l is supplied with alternat in}; current of one relative polarityhor the other according as track relay R is ener gized or tie-energized, It follows thattrack" relay B is always energized Whenfsection DE 1s unoccup ed, and that the re ersal;

of the relative polarity offt he current in pri: mary 19 of transl'ornlcrT has no effect on the track circuit'becai'i'se a simultaneous reversal of relative polarity occursin Wind ingi i of relay R I I Referring now to section c D, the' no'rmaltra'clr circuit for this section comprises a transformer T the secondary 20 of which is connected across the rails adjacent thefex'it end ofthe section, and'a track relay R llaV;

ing a Winding 3 connected across the rails.-

adjacent entra'l'lce 'end ofthe jsection; Primary 19' of transformer T and "the sec ond' windings of relay R are supplied with alternating current in multiple from the same source as that which supplies' curient to the track circuit-for section D E. That is to say, theprimary'circui't for transformer "T is from wire 11", throughjvire 13; fro'nt contact 1510f track relay R Wire 17, primary winding 19cftransfor1ner T wire'18 front Contact 16of relay R and Wire 14in" Wire-I2. The multiple path including wind h1g4: of relay R is from wire 17 through wire 21, wire 45, from; dmirer 31- of arelay F, wire 47, winding 4;, wir 48, front Conta t 32 of relay F, and wiresetia'nd 22130' wire 18L It Willjbe noted tli atfthe" supply of current from the sourc'e atpoint E towindin of transformer T and to Winding l o track relay R will bev discontinued Whenftra'ck I relay R is di -energized. If Fis deenergi'ze'cLlmWever, Winding 4" becomes ener gized' home sou'rce of current located at" point C, the circuit being fromtenninal ofsu'oh s'ource through hack-contact 310i relay F, Wire 4E7,Winding 4, ire 48, and

back contact 32' to the terminal B.

An auxiliary trackirela y E is connected" across the rails at the exit end of section Iii tit)

CD through a reactance 43 which is shuntcd by hack contact $9 of track relay R when the latter relay is tie-energized. An auxiliary track transformer T X has its secondary connected across the rails adjacent the entrance end of section C-D through :1 limiting reactance 44, but the primary 19 of this transformer is normally de-energized. \Vhcn relay F is tie-energized, the primary circuit for transformer T- is closed, this circuit being from terminal A, through back contact 50 of relay F. and the primary 19 of trans former T to terminal B.

Relay F is connected in multiple with the primary 19 of the normal track transformer T that is, the winding of this relay is connected across wires 21 and 22 by means of wires 29 and 30. It follows that relay F is energized or de-energized according as track relay R is energized or (lo-energized. that is, according as section DE is unoccupied or occupied.

Located at the point C is a signal relay K having two windings 25 and 26. \Vinding 26 is constantly supplied with alternating current from the two terminals A and B, while winding 25 is connected in multiple with the winding of relay F. That is to say, winding 25 is connected across wires 21 and 22 by means of wires 23 and 2 1. It follows that relay K is energized in one direction or the other according as track relay R is energized or tie-energized, and that relay K is de-energized when relay E is de-energized.

Located adjacent the entrance end of section C-D is a signal S, which as here shown, is of the electric lamp type, comprising a proceed lamp G, a caution lamp Y, and a stop lamp B. These lamps are controlled by contact 37 of track relay R and by contact 27 of signal relay K through circuits which will be obvious from the drawing and which have nothing to do with my present invention. A similar signal S is located at the entrance end of the section to the right of point E, and is similarly controlled by a track relay R and signal relay K The supply of current to the primary 19 of transformer T for the section to the left of point C, is as follows:

lVhen track relay R and line relay F are both energized, current flows from terminal A, through front contact 33 of relay F, front contact 39 of relay R primary 19, front contact 38 of relay R and front contact 3a of relay F to terminal B. Vhen track relay R is de-energizcd, current flows from terminal A, through back contact 38 of relay R primary 19, and back contact- 39 of relay R to terminal B. When relay F is dc-energized, current flows from terminal A, through back contact 33, primary 19 and back contact 34 to terminal B.

The crossing bell H is controlled jointly by back contact 35 of track relay R and back contact 36 of track relay R, so that when either or both of these relays is (lo-energized, the crossing bell will be in operation, but that when both of these relays are energized the bell will be silent.

The apparatus shown herein is intended for co-cperatioh with traiu-carried governing mechanism responsive to the presence of track circuit current in the track rails, so that in order to pcrn'iit a train traveling at full speed a source of track circuit current must be connected across the rails in advance of the train.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: When there is no train in either section C- D or the section next to the right, all track relays are energized, line relay F is energized, and signal relay K is energizcd in normal direction so that signal s indicates proceed. A train entering section CD will receive track circuit energy from t: ansl'ormer T so that the train is free to proceed at full speed through the section. As soon as the train enters section C-D, track relay R will become de-energized and contact of this relay will, of course, set the crossing bell H into operation. Track circuit current of reverse relative polarity will then be supplied to transformer T through back contacts 38 and 39 of track relay R Relay F, however, will remain energized. As the train approaches the exit end of section CD, it will de-energize the auxiliary track relay R, but this will have no effect on the rest of the apparatus. When the forward end of the train enters section D-E, it will de-energize track relay R", thereby opening at contacts 15 and 10 the primary circuit for transforn'ier T, the circuit for relay F, and the circuit for winding 25 of relay K Relay F will, therefore, become (lo-energized and so will close at contact the primary circuit for transformer T with the result that track circuit current will be sup )lied to the rails at the entrance end of section C*D. The opening of relay F will open the circuit for winding 4 of track relay R at contacts 31 and 32, but this winding will immediately become energized through the back contacts 31 and 32 of relay F, with the result that relay R will become energized from the currentsup plied by the auxiliary track transformers T". \Vhen the rear of the train leaves sect-ion CD. the auxiliary track relay R will become energized by the current supplied from transformer T", and so the operation of the crossing hell H will be discontinued. \Vith a Pain in section CD, the track circuit for section C-D includes a transformer at the entrance end of the section and a track relay at the exit end of the section, so that a second train entering section CD will not receive track circuit current and such all second train wi'll, therefore, receive" a stop indication; When the first train passes out of section D-E and into the) section next to energized, but the current supplied to wind ing 25 of this relay willbe' of reverse rela- Y tive polarity, because track relay R is now de-energized;- caution lamp Y, of signal'fs will, therefore, become lighted. RelayF will become energizedythereby' discontinuing the supply of current to the primary of transformer T, but the primary of transformer T is now energized from the source at point E, so that track relay R will remain energized. A following train entering section CB will, therefore, receive track circuit energy from transformer T at the exit end of the section. Of course, when the first train is in the forward section D-E, so that line relay F is de-energized, track circuit current of reverse relative polarity is supplied to the primary of track transformer T through back contacts 33 and 3a of this relay, but when this relay becomes energized, due to the train leaving section DE, the normal supply of current to the primary of transformer T is restored.

The reactance 42 in series with winding 3 of track relay R is shunted by contact 28 of signal relay K and is provided in order to avoid over-energization of this winding while the winding is receiving energy from the auxiliary track transformer T", similarly, the reactance 43 in series with the winding of relay R is shunted by back contact 1 49 of track relay R and is provided to avoid over-energization of this winding when it is receiving energy fromtrack transformer T Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: a

1. In combination, a block of railway track divided into a rear and a forward section, two sources of track circuit current for said rear section located at the entrance and the exit ends of the section respectively, and means for supplying current to the rear section from one or the other of said sources according as the forward section is occupied or unoccupied.

2. In combination, a block of railway track divided into a rear and a forward section, two sources of track circuit current for said rear section located at the entrance and the exit ends of the section respectively,

and means for supplying current from the source at the entrance end but not from the other source when the forward section is occupied and from the source at th'e exiteta:

butnotfroin the other source wtren 'the for saidwreai" section located :at 'the entrance and the exit ends of the sectiourespectively, two:

track IQil aYSMlOUtItQd-Iat the-entrance and the ex'i'tnends respectively of said rear section,

tlieirelay-iat the exit end being, responsiveato current from either source, a highway crossing signal located adjacent the ]unct1on of said two sections and controlled by said two relays, and means for supplying current to the rear section from one or the other of said former having its secondary connected with.

the rails at the entrance end of the rear section, a main track relay having a first winding connected with the rails at the entrance end of the rear section and also having a second winding, an auxiliary track relay connected with the rails at the exit end of i the rear section, a line relay for the rear section, means for supplying current to the primary of'said main transformer and to said line relay and to the second winding of said main track relay when the forward section is unoccupied but not when it is occupied, means for also supplying current to the second winding of saidmain track relay and to the primary of said auxiliary transformer whensaid line relay is de-energized, and a highway crossing signal controlled jointly by said two track relays.

5. In combination, a block of railway track divided into a rear and a forward section, a main transformer having its secondary connected with the rails at the exit end of the rear section, an auxiliary transformer having its secondary connected with the rails at the entrance end of the rear section, a main track relay having a first winding connected with the rails at the entrance end of'the rear section and also havinv a second winding, an auxiliary track re ay connected with the rails at the exit end of the rear section, a line relay for the rear section, means for supplying current to the primary of said main transformer and to said line relay and to the second winding of said IUU main track relay when the forward section is 1 unoccupied but not when it is occupied, means for also supplyingcurrent to the second winding of said main track relay and to the cupied to supply track circuit current to the rails at the entrance end but not at the exit end of the rear section, two track relays located at the two ends of the rear section and each responsive to track circuit current =upplied to either end of the section. and a highway crossing signal located adjacent the junction of said sections and controlled jointly by said two track relays.

In testimony whereof I. aflix my signature.

HOWARD A. THOMPSON. 

